I just bought a version 4 summicron-M 35/2 lens which came with a 12524 rectangular hood but no front cap. The hood has ridges that look like they are designed for a snap on cap. Does anyone know which cap fits the hood and if it is possible to still buy the cap?

Thanks!

-- Steve Rosenblum (stevierose@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

Steve...

Save yourself some money and pick up a piece of 1/2 dense foam, the kind that Sears sells in their tool department to line toolbox drawers. Cut the foam into a small rectangle that fits snuggly into the hood, wrap a strip of gaffers tape around it (fold over a little tab to act as a "handle"). Works great. Costs next to nothing. You won't go crazy if you lose it.

-- David Cunningham (images@dmcphoto.net), April 25, 2002.

There's not Leica-made cap that fits this hood. You can however buy the hood for the S'cron 35 ASPH because that one will fit onto your pre-ASPH too. The 12526 hood will come with a fitting cap.

-- Bert Keuken (bkkn@wanadoo.nl), April 25, 2002.

Your hood and the hood for the Asph are identical except that the ridges you noted are sharp on the Asph version to hold on the hood cap. You can put the Asph hood cap on your hood. Having said that, it is not very secure even on the Asph hood. Many people have lost their hood caps. I think making one as suggested above is a good idea.

The ridges on your hood are designed to help in attaching and removing the hood.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@shaw.ca), April 25, 2002.

Just for the record my used v.4 'cron came with a 12526 hood - which fits both the v.4 and the ASPH (I've tried it).

The foam idea will work, no doubt. Otherwise you'd just have to find a dealer with the cap for the 12526 and see if it works (sounds like not but you never know...).

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 25, 2002.

Hello,

I've lost two of these now. Don Chatterton charged me $40 for the first one. I purchased the second from B&H for under $20. You should be able to find a new one at Adorama or B&H

-- David S Smith (dssmith3@rmci.net), April 25, 2002.

I've used the made-it-yourself hood for years, but prefer (if possible) the Leica one, just seems better, and has been secure for me (though I have bought three at around $30 over 4-5 years, in addition to the one I had, so there is some loss).

My at home brew begins with thick leather, cut rectangular just at the outside dimensions of the hood, and the slightly smaller insert (either the foam suggested or another layer of leather) glued to the inside of the first piece, so I have a two layer arrangement. I hadn't thought of the gaffers tape with no outside component save a thin layer, and I suppose real thin leather could work the same.

-- l smith (lacsm@bellsouth.net), April 25, 2002.